About the book
She gathers an unlikely band for the quest.
T. Kingfisher's dark fairy tale won the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
Curated by intendle
Published
Fantasy & Magical Realism
Nettle & Bone
TK
Written by
Published by
Tor Books (Macmillan)
Marra, the overlooked third princess of a small kingdom, sets out to kill the cruel prince who is destroying her sister, first completing three impossible tasks to earn a witch's help.
- Published
- 2022
- Pages
- 256
- Format
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
To rescue her abused sister, a shy convent-raised princess must first do the impossible: build a dog from bones and wire, sew a cloak of nettles and owl-cloth, and catch moonlight in a jar.
So opens T. Kingfisher's Hugo-winning fairy tale, which sends its unlikely heroine Marra on a quest to kill a charming, murderous prince, accompanied by a dust-witch, a disgraced knight, a fairy godmother and a bone dog with more personality than most living characters.
Kingfisher writes in the grand tradition of the dark folk tale, but with a wry, humane modern sensibility: her monsters are real, her violence has weight, yet warmth and dry wit run through everything. At a lean, propulsive length, the novel never sags, and its band of tired, brave misfits is a joy to travel with.
For readers who want fantasy that is spooky, funny and emotionally true - fairy tale for grown-ups - it is a small, sharp gem, and a deserving Hugo winner.
The book
At a glance
Sample file
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Pages
256
Published
2022
Tor Books (Macmillan)
Where to buy
Format
Hardcover
First edition
Language
English
Fantasy & Magical Realism
ISBN
978-1250244048
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